Keeping a basic emergency water supply in my small apartment?

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SgtPrepper@reddit

Storing water can be tricky, not because it expires but because the container it's stored in can begin to break down. That's why plastic bottles of water expires.

If you can manage it, I'd recommend you get large metal containers, like old style water coolers. If they're made of stainless steel the water might just outlast you!

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TheLostExpedition@reddit

I have a large Berky water filter on my shelf in the dining room. My grandparents have those old 5 gallon jugs you flip into a dispenser. The glass ones even.

Both are fine for short term water solutions. The back of a toilet tank is clean water as well. And you can keep bottled water in a cool dry place.

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northernwolf3000@reddit

They also make those bathtub bladders . Drop em in your tub and fill up. Those are more for if you know shits going sideways like a hurricane or whatever

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You could make it even simpler and more flexible with stackable 10 or 15-litre water bricks or Aqua-Tainers. Of course buying pre-filled bottles is fine but those usually aren’t meant for super long storage because the plastic can leach a bit over time so try to stick with plastic materials which are built for long storage. Always look for ones that are blue which helps block sunlight and stops algae growth and made of HDPE (#2) too!

Also if you’re in an apartment I’d highly suggest that you get a Waterbob as well which is essentially a water storage solution using your bathtub (if you have one)

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preppers-ModTeam@reddit

Your comment was removed on suspicion of containing an affiliate link. URL shorteners, like the website you mentioned, are not allowed. See Rule 7.

Also, it’s actually the other way around — colored plastics like AquaTainers tend to give water a chemical smell. I use AquaTainers for handwashing. Clear PET bottles don’t have that smell and can hold water for many years.

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funnysasquatch@reddit

No need to stress about this.

First - you most likely have enough water on hand in your apartment to survive at least for a couple of days. Remember, water for survival isn't just plain water. If you have juice, soda, and canned food in your pantry, then that's water that will keep you from dying of dehydration.

Second - it is very unlikely you will find yourself without water without warning. If you have warning because of a storm, you can fill up food-safe containers. You can get collapsible containers to save space. Or just keep some old bottles on hand.

If you do want water on storage, just buy some bottles of water. Put them in a closet or corner of a room. Set a reminder on your phone to empty and refill once per year if you don't rotate naturally.

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peepoopeepoofart@reddit (OP)

I was just thinking that as long as there is some prior warning I could probably just use what I already have lying around. My laundry basket is plastic and has no holes in it, if an emergency is declared I could tip it out and fill it with at least 30 litres of water. It’s a bit dusty in the bottom but if I’m dying of dehydration I’ll drink it lol

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funnysasquatch@reddit

You can’t use the laundry basket. It likely has chemicals from laundry in it that could leach into the water. Spend a few dollars and get a collapsible water container.

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mediocre_remnants@reddit

Even if the water isn't drinkable, it can still be used for washing hands, cleaning, flushing the toilet, etc.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in WNC, one of the most sought-after supplies was toilet flushing water, and containers to put toilet flushing water in. People were using garbage cans, gasoline cans, 2 liter soda bottles, anything they could find. People were filling them up in pools, streams, ponds, anywhere they could find water.

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CCWaterBug@reddit

Hurricane Ian, we lost power for 1 day no biggie.

Lost water for 2... that was a pain...

Fortunately inhad filled the tub, and we had two 5 gal buckets, but still was a pain.

A laundry hamper as a primary with a single female... that won't work well at all

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3fromflorida@reddit

Hurricane Ian, my house washed away with all of my supplies that I had accumulated for years. 😂 the canned food was still good 🤷 but I had to wait for the storm surge to past. My home was unlivable though as we had 18ft of surge water

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CCWaterBug@reddit

You were fmb then I assume.

My home in the cape was slightly.damaged, no water, 7 days no power.

We stayed on the other side of 75 and missed the worst if it, but that water main break was a setback!

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3fromflorida@reddit

Yes! Going thru that made me change a lot of the way we prep now. Was a horrible time for sure. Glad we all made it to the other side

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Kind_Man_0@reddit

I have a trash can outside that I keep for hurricane season. My gutter routes down to it and I keep a concrete block in the bottom. I use it to water my plants and also to flush when we lose power after a hard storm.

Between the two bathtubs, and the trash can, it gives us about 120-150 gallons which has never been fully used up.

We got through Ian and Helene just fine even after days without power/water. I'd say we are ready for about 2 weeks without water before we have to start getting creative and collecting rainwater.

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YankeeDog2525@reddit

There’s long term health. Like don’t drink plastic.

There’s short term survival. Like fill every container you have and don’t die of dehydration.

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funnysasquatch@reddit

There is no problem from drinking from plastic water bottles.

This is a laundry basket. It's not food safe. It may be contaminated with actual dangerous chemicals.

And you should only drink from this basket because there is absolutely no other option.

Which is not the case here. If OP were to go to any friggin local store - there will be food-safe plastic containers.

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Fair-Search-2324@reddit

It’s fine

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catlinalx@reddit

Use the jugs for drinking water and fill the bathtub so you can flush your toilet.

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Pyrokitsune@reddit

and fill the bathtub so you can flush your toilet

I feel like not enough people know you can manually flush a toilet with just a bucket and water. It doesn't take pressurized plumbing.

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Intrepid-Sky8123@reddit

I have done this while trying to unclog toilets in the past.

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catlinalx@reddit

u/peepoopeepoofart (great name btw) you can fill the upper tank of your toilet using a bucket then flush with the handle/button like usual, or, 98% of the time simply pouring the water directly into the bowl will also flush it.

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Brokentoy3@reddit

There are also water bobs you can use it’s like a bathtub liner you can fill from the bath spout. If you don’t have a bath but a shower get one or two collapsing rain barrels you can fill. I personally have 2 of the barrels on top of my storage one for the bathroom and one for the kitchen so I’m not using my drinking water for cleaning and flushing. I also keep a few 5 gallon buckets empty for a rain catchment system with a tarp and the bucket to refilll the barrels as needed

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No_Character_5315@reddit

If you have a bathtub you can get a bathtub emergency water bladders for pretty cheap hold about 100 gallons should be enough for a month or more depending on usage.

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David_C5@reddit

Unlikely but it can happen. That's why it's called an emergency. If everything could be planned easily it wouldn't be called an emergency.

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funnysasquatch@reddit

That's why you go to the store or order off Amazon and get proper water storage containers. So that you are prepared for the emergency.

You don't risk your life drinking water from a dirty laundry basket.

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Soff10@reddit

How many bathrooms do you have? Do you have a hot water tank in your apartment? In emergencies. I fill up a thing called a Water Bob. It’s a large water bladder that fits in the bath tub. Your hot water tank is also a good extra backup.

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_SmirkyHaze@reddit

Consider purchasing a water bladder from Home Depot or any local hardware store. These devices are excellent for storing water and can conveniently be kept in the restroom when you decide to use them.

They don't take a lot of room. To store them, you simply fold them. They can be quite heavy, but they don't take as much room but then a large barrel.

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DarthGuber@reddit

I use distilled water for my aquariums and CPAP, so I just keep a stock of it and buy a couple extra bottles a month to make sure I have extra in an emergency.

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Rmyronm@reddit

Do you have a bathtub? There is an item called a water Bob. It is a large plastic bladder that votes in the bathtub that you can fill from the tub spout. It’s only like 20-30 dollars. Great for emergencies that you know are coming.(hurricanes, monsoons, etc)

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Spiley_spile@reddit

I have some stackable, reusable 5 gallon (19L) water storage containers. Water is heavy. And I dont want to weaken the floor. So I stack two rows of 2 in different areas of the house. In total, I keep 40 gallons on hand. I refresh the water in them every June and December. It's just me in my place since my cat died. 40 gallons give me enough to get through the big earthquake plus a little extra to share with my neighbors while the city's emergency supply caches are organized.

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peepoopeepoofart@reddit (OP)

Do you fill them with regular tap water or treat the water in any way? Also sorry to hear about kitty 😢

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Spiley_spile@reddit

Tap water. But you can treat the tap water if you wanted. I have water treatment tablets as a backup, in case I ever have to use this water.

Thank you.

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Routine_Awareness413@reddit

I do the same with 5 and 10 liter stackable jerrycans.

Sorry to hear about your cat.

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JanieLFB@reddit

I buy distilled water in gallon jugs for my CPAP and my cats’ water. I keep the empty jugs and fill with water from the bathtub while waiting for the hot water to arrive. (Fills about half way before the hot reaches.)

These waters are placed near the toilet. When the water starts to look off, I water the plants. (Takes a couple of years to “go off”.)

In your situation, I would buy a jug of drinking water around once every month. These should have expiration dates. Find a spot to store these. Put the newest in the back and pull the older to the front. Don’t place anything on top of them. I have had water jugs leak if weight was on them.

A good spot might be a closet or under a cabinet.

I hope this helps.

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KeyMasterpiece44@reddit

I fill up my old 5 gallon water jugs with distilled water. I own a water distiller and it cranks out a gallon every 2.5 hours.

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iamadumbo123@reddit

Nah just get regular water bottles

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serenityfalconfly@reddit

We use a fancy water dispenser that pumps water from a five gallon water bottle. It provides hot, cold, and room temperature water. We have four bottles on standby and one in the luxurious contraption. A bottle lasts most of a week and they all go through rotation.

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Birdybadass@reddit

I use 6g HPDE water containers stored under couches, beds, in closets etc etc. Out of sun and well sterilized to start you’ll need to cycle them about every 6-12 months but they’re small, easy to move around and just fill from your bath tub.

https://www.amazon.ca/Reliance-Products-Desert-Patrol-Container/dp/B0002IW6IY?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB

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OldSchoolPrepper@reddit

2 liter soda pop bottles are excellent holders of water (after the soda is gone) the water lasts for 6 months easily and they are small enough to move without much effort. I keep approx 100 of them in my storage plus 5 gallon, 20 gallon and 150 gallon holders as well. The 2 liters are easy to move into the kitchen or bathroom. a good way to hold extra water.

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peepoopeepoofart@reddit (OP)

Do you fill them with just drinking-quality tap water? Or do you filter or anything special?

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OldSchoolPrepper@reddit

i clean out the bottles and just fill them up. I'm on a well so my water is very clean, City (or tap water) is also very clean. I use up the water once a year and refill. I try for January so I remember to do it all at one time (and change my fire alarm batteries etc)

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thestreep@reddit

I clean with a bit of dish soap first, rinse several times, do a final rinse with about a teaspoon of plain bleach, then fill with tap water. Store in a cool dark place and rotate every 6 months.

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Pando5280@reddit

Five gallon jug with a $15 battery powered pump that fits on top. I'd also keep a case of regular sized bottles for when you dont want or need to tap a 5 gallon jug.

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biblicalrain@reddit

Two cent opinion, but I prefer a non-battery, manual pump. Would hate to find that the battery wasn't charged, or worse, the battery doesn't hold a charge because it's been sitting for who knows how long.

The manual pump I got for a 5 gal jug is surprisingly easy to use. It's like 5-6 presses to get 1L.

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Pando5280@reddit

Low tech usually is the best tech. And never trust your life to a battery. That said I keep a couple spares and have plans if I feel like things are going to get medieval. My back up plan was to just tip the jug over but Im gonna pick up a hand pump (thanks for the link) because it just makes sense.

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Familiar_Ebb_808@reddit

They make a tub sized collapsable water container. And invest into a good camping water filter for drinking water. You can have those water cooler bottles for food and drinking and keep rotating them out as you empty them.

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Cracklin0atBran@reddit

Called a water Bob

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spambot_mods@reddit

Have one. Have used one. Love it.

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David_C5@reddit

I'd buy this instead:

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churnopol@reddit

If you have a dedicated HVAC/water heater room in your apartment, stash a bunch or water storage containers in there.

Keep a few gallons stashed in the bathroom so you can flush the toilet when you need to. I learned this from roommates who previously lived in earthquake prone cities.

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Longjumping-Army-172@reddit

Water is water...so long as it's clean to drink. It doesn't matter if it's in 16 ounce bottles or big jugs.

Commercially bottled water is good for a year. Home-stored water has a shorter shelf life.

Personally, my family has largely settled on just keeping some extra cases of 16-20 once bottles. They're constantly being rotated out, so no need to worry about it. Just put the new ones on the bottom.

Don't forget that (assuming it's accessible to you) the water on your hot water tank is clean. You can also look into the various small-scale filtering and purification options...usually sold to hikers/backpackers.

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BadAcknowledgment@reddit

We save 64 Oz V-8 juice and other heavy duty bottles. We wash, bleach, and rinse before storing. Some advise putting 2 drops of common bleach in each bottle, especially if you don't have another way to sterilize. We also keep in-date water purification tablets on hand. Otherwise we have several filter types on hand as well.

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k8ecat@reddit

Buy risers and put like 20 cases (6 one gallon bottles each) under your bed.

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Cute-Consequence-184@reddit

You can get just about any water bottle. Size doesn't matter. What matters is total liquid amount

And any used can just be refilled for later use.

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Enigma_xplorer@reddit

While I would keep water on hand I understand keeping the volumes of water you would want in your apartment is a challenge. My recommendation is to keep on hand what you can justify and focus on water treatment solutions so that in an emergency you can take water you can find and make it safe to use and drink. Remember, not all water needs to be pristine. The water you use to flush your toilet only needs to be a bit better than what your trying to flush.

As a side note while you may not always have notice of emergencies in advance if you have concerns for whatever reason you can fill up plastic collapsible tanks or bathtubs with surplus water and then dump it should the emergency pass without needing it.

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Novel_Comparison_209@reddit

How would you plan to ration it? I could see it as a good idea but if you don’t ration it correctly it could do more harm than good

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ThrowingAbundance@reddit

I live in a small apartment, too. I have one of those sturdy wire shelving units along one of my kitchen walls, specifically for my emergency supplies. I have twenty 1.5 Gallon US (9.5 Liter) dispensers, and multiple cases of 24 oz individual bottles. I use a permanent marker to mark the dates. It's easier for me to maintain a "first in, first out" rotation.

Also, remember to have UV light water purifiers (I have battery operated, and USB charging), iodine water purification tablets, and bleach.

I have the Ketadyn Be-Free microfilter water filtration bottles, too. They are used by serious distance trail hikers who sometimes have to drink water from questionable places.

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QueenProvvy@reddit

How does the ketadyn compare to a life straw? We have a few life straws in our BOBs

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ThrowingAbundance@reddit

It is probably a matter of personal preference. I have found the Ketadyn easier to clean, the microfilter is replaceable, and it is faster to fill.

My gf is a serious backpacker and learned about the Ketadyn while hiking on the John Muir Trail last year with another hiker who had one.

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Lost_Engineering_phd@reddit

Do you have a bathtub? If you do, get a bathtub bladder. Takes nearly no space until you need it. This will give you around 50-60 gallons of clean water.

The municipal water service is almost always the last thing to fail, it is gravity powered. Clean water is pumped to elevated storage tanks and flow by gravity. Often there's a couple days or more worth of water in storage.

You would need to plan on filling the bladder as soon as things get bad. I begin to fill mine if the power is out for more than a couple hours.

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Own-Lemon8708@reddit

I just buy cases of bottled water occasionally. I don't usually drink bottled water but I still rotate through the cases occasionally and just buy a new case to replenish.

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Cracklin0atBran@reddit

Get a water BOB, with some heads up that’ll let you fill your bath tub and filter the water from there. Apartment bath tubs average 60-80 gallons so that should be enough for you + others.

If you don’t have a bath tub in your unit, the water Bob will still work. I’ve tested it and it’s janky but still works.

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CaliforniaJade@reddit

What about a plastic 3 gallon bottle? I don't like handling the 5 gallons anymore but the 3 gallon bottles are manageable for me.

Amazon sells a water preserver that says it will allow you to store bottled water for up to 5 years, https://www.amazon.com/Mayday-Industries-Gallon-Water-Preserver/dp/B008E04P7W?crid=1FWVAND707K7M&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.scTwWS-KYC5xeOKMWhfAis-byZQW0oTkEMiqHXjnR3ZQX_BVO1dbC5qfHuvQdnt1Or0WqVncjdHcv_7_XXp03EIITF5-gtNhDBV8Tt-TjSr9xXLSCJZZ5PzsrYZO0G7hHi-31m7W7PWNUvcyd2fyjJuWSws3M1Gh9h8OEJ0JzJlg-D6gaNczcGMAEXImZ3nBJLvEdiy4dZk6Oo50F-030lXjqZl312-X2w9SFL-1ss8R4i_7h8ZpBvcz2_M43afGcFFgWkdIdBhHYLB8HfUVSGW1erfmXLsx8crNpu_D7mo.j1LyKOU4ICXTfJl-vPFEOhN3hjum7yxedhzs2jen6tQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=water+storage+pills&qid=1760636882&sprefix=water+pills+for+storage%2Caps%2C191&sr=8-2

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Arlieth@reddit

I am a huge proponent of canned water for this kind of use-case. It won't grow algae, it has a shelf life of near infinity, the cartons are small and portable. Do not get the carbonated ones (like liquid death), only get still water.

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BusWho@reddit

KEEP IT SIMPLE

I store water bottles, make a point to rotate them once a year. This can be done when you travel, in the summer for chilled water, going hiking /camping etc. I have a large tote that is filled with water bottles and it works. Other than that I have a water filter and could fill the tub if we got warnings.

This year a water main broke and the water was shut off for 3 days in our area. Flushing was a bigger issue, so I bought a bucket toilet with bags and gel. As our other one is at our bug out location.

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mercedes_lakitu@reddit

I pick up a few gallons of water from the grocery store every few years, and rotate them. Water doesn't expire, but plastic does.

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fedfuzz1970@reddit

How quickly the discussion went from a question from someone in an apartment to answers from folks living in homes. There is a big difference and we have the same problem. Thanks to the few that had answers for apartment dwellers.

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RunAcceptableMTN@reddit

I think your plan sounds fine. I would probably just get four of what you described for drinking water and rotate every couple years.

You can fill your laundry basket for toilet flushing water or bathing water.

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Weird-Grocery6931@reddit

Think of everything you need water for - drinking, flushing, washing, cooking, etc; then figure out how much you need to continue those functions for 3/5/14 days. That's your baseline. In your situation you may not need to "store" as much as you need to maintain.

In addition to our multiple water systems (well, rain collection), we keep 5-gal water cooler bottles on hand for drinking, cooking, coffee, etc. (based on your limitations, the 12L bottles work for you. Good job.) We use these bottle daily and go through 3-4 per week. We keep five on hand ( 94.6 liters) and when two bottles are empty, we swap them for new ones at the store.

You can do the same with 12L. It isn't hard to manage: identify what you need, procure, use, replace.

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Creepy-Cantaloupe951@reddit

Do you have, instead, space for 3 6 gallon carboys?

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justanotherguyhere16@reddit

If you can manage… a small inline 5 gallon water heater under your kitchen sink is an AMAZING emergency water supply that constantly refreshes.

You can buy them cheap and ask the landlord to install it and then take it with you when you move. Just choose one with a drain line.

Added benefit of extra hot water quicker at point of use.

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nakedonmygoat@reddit

How's your fridge and freezer space? You can keep some 1-liter bottles in the fridge, and also freeze one or two after draining a bit of water off the top to allow for expansion. The frozen water in particular will be good for keeping things cool for a bit during a power outage. And since it's potable water, you can drink it as it warms.

Also consider keeping baby wipes and large-size alcohol wipes on hand. The baby wipes are for wiping down when water is in short supply and you're feeling stinky. And the alcohol wipes are for your hands when they're not physically dirty but need to be washed nonetheless, like after using the bathroom. Bear in mind that wipes of all kinds will go dry after about a year, so you'll want to replace them every six months or so. You can always find other uses for them.

Bear in mind that cities are always a top priority for government assistance in a crisis. Unless it's a true doomsday scenario, there will be water trucks pulling up within about 48 hours if there's a complete failure of the water system.

You've stored plenty of water for any short-term urban crisis and your bigger concern at this point should be boil water notices. That's a real hassle and could be impossible in a power outage unless you have a gas range or portable propane or butane stove, which should always be used in well-ventilated areas. Get a good camping grade water filter. If money is tight, consider a LifeStraw. Then you won't have to boil your water.

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IlliniWarrior1@reddit

firstly - can you possibly just leave these "water cooler" bottles outside your apartment? is there a hallway space outside your door where they could sit and go unmolested?

secondly - the problem with those necked cooler bottles is the shape - it omits the possibility of spanning across the top of them with a shelf board - the proper water storage longevity is just about forever - you have water jugs in the back of a closet and storage on top - its store & forget - until needed

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YankeeDog2525@reddit

You might also consider a bottle of chlorine. A few drops will purify a gallon of water. Be sure to get the plain unscented stuff. You have to look for it these days.

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Dear_Will_3681@reddit

It's also not a bad idea to have a few life straws or similar water filters/purifiers around. If there's a mistake at the treatment plant or some other issue you have a way to purify water.

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RredditAcct@reddit

First, get a bathtub stopper. You might be in a situation with some advanced notice and you can fill your bathtub.

Second, Amazon has racks that hold those water cooler containers. This can make it possible to hold a lot of drinking water vertically.

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iguessishouldjoin@reddit

They make little water pouches that have a 5 year shelf life.

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xsamsarax@reddit

If you have access to your water heater in your unit and a hose you can drain that for potable water.

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sgtPresto@reddit

Consider a collapsible water bladder. There is one called a BOB available on Amazon. Placed in your bathtub, it can be filled to about 80 gallons. Generally you will have some notice of an impending emergency and therefore time to fill it. Emergency blows over then drain it. 80 gallons (over 300 liters) can provide water for a good period of time.

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DEADFLY6@reddit

I have 30-2 liter bottles of water in different places around my apartment. I know, microplastics. I figure 3-2 liters per day. I little stickers on them with the date. They all get rotated every 10 days. Sometimes I get lazy. I recommend Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, or Dr. Pepper bottles only. No Coca Cola or off brand bottles. It's standard procedure for me for 14 years now.

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Sassy-Hen-86@reddit

I have just some gallons bought at Walmart (around 8) that I just use and replace regularly. This is enough for a couple of days. I have a Sawyer mini filter (like a life straw) for each household member and a Sawyer gravity filter bag. This way in the event of a true long term emergency we can have clean water (there’s plenty of wild water near me which I know isn’t true for everyone). Snowstorms are also our primary emergency so we can also always make melted water.

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Swedishiron@reddit

Consider some aluminum canned water (12oz etc) also- very easy to carry and you can easily take a needed amount for shorter excursions during an emergency.

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AlphaDisconnect@reddit

Your toilet back has water in a pinch. It is clean enough. To flush, you can refill with any water. But now it is done. Insert pooo bucket here. Maybe not straight sewage for flushing. Fill the tub if you see it coming.

Look up polar pure. A dead company. But I make my own with an erlynmeyer flask and iodine crystals

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Russiadontgiveafuck@reddit

I have about 40 liters of water in 1,5 liter bottles stored away in the cupboard, plus empty collapsible water bottles. I highly, highly doubt the water will ever be shut down for longer than 10 days with no prior warning and no alternatives opening up. I'm in a major city in Europe.

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Delgra@reddit

Look into some used corny kegs. Stainless, can be pressurized, you can hear the water using a cheap sous vide element, etc.

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No_Advertising4407@reddit

This is $34.94 on Amazon-WaterBOB Bathtub Storage Emergency Drinking Water Container, Comes with Hand Pump, Disaster and Hurricane Survival, BPA-Free (100 Gallon) (1 Pack)

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Radtoo@reddit

Have a water filter and just a quantity of water that reasonably fits into your apartment. If it's a small apartment, then maybe indeed you just want a bunch of pet bottles or a small multi gallon tank and done. You might ultimately have to focus on where else there is water and go there with a filter.

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Eazy12345678@reddit

you can buy canned water liquid death or if you like seltzer water

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mosquito_down@reddit

Hi! I'm a fellow petite woman from the US. Just a note—12 liters is about 3 gallons, and that’s a lot to carry at once. In the US, the recommended emergency water supply is 1 gallon per person per day. I prefer keeping 1-gallon containers since they're much easier to manage than trying to lift or move 3 gallons at a time.

I also like to have both 1-gallon jugs and smaller water bottles (16.9 fl oz). I usually go for the 24-packs of bottles—they’re easier to handle and store. I can carry the 32–40 packs if needed, but they’re bulkier and not ideal if I have to load the car quickly for an evacuation. So I mostly stick with the 24-packs for portability.

I don’t rotate my water stock super frequently—maybe once every few months. I usually wait for the 24-packs to go on sale (which happens every few weeks to a few months). When they do, I buy new ones and start drinking the older packs. The 1-gallon jugs are typically the same price all the time, so I just add those in as needed.

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Mountain_Answer_9096@reddit

I have the advantage of storing 100 litre containers of water. I add 25ml of unscented, thin bleach to each of these before I seal them and then keep them out of sunlight. I mark the date of sealing and change them out every 6 months. I'd recommend doing this if you can.

It may also be an idea (if you haven't already) to take a day or two to only use your stored water in order to see how far it goes. That way, should you be in a situation where you must rely on your stores, you know how far they will carry you.

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gumballvarnish@reddit

for low cost low effort you really can't beat buying water. sealed in factory plastic it theoretically lasts forever, but in my experience flimsy single serving bottles break down over time, so big jugs like you have should be great, just check regularly for leaks.

personally I use Jerry can style jugs; aquatainer, scepter, reliance all make solid water cans. I have a few reliance rhinopak 20Ls and a couple other smaller jugs that I empty and refill every time daylight savings rolls around and I've had them for years. The smaller ones are great for camping because hauling the 20L 1000 feet from a water spigot is a workout. i stash em in a closet so they're out of the way.

if you like the sturdy refillable route but are worried about space, aquabricks are an alternative to consider, but they're not cheap.

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grapefruit279@reddit

I store some of those. There is a hand pump option for those style of cooler bottles, FYI. I like diversity in my supplies, so I like to keep some large bottles/jugs/containers, and some smaller, more portable bottles too. I also like to store mine in a large plastic container that would contain any leaks (like a large rubbermaid tub with flats of bottled water inside). And I keep a water filter as well.